Friends Fur Life

The more important question should be, why not? The benefits far outweigh the detriments, but people still refuse to get it done. Let’s explore that, shall we?

I shouldn’t have to tell you there is a serious pet overpopulation problem. Most people are aware of this, though perhaps not of the vastness of the problem. However, I actually have had people, while out collecting money for homeless pets, ask me, “Is that really a problem? Are there really a lot of homeless pets?” I don’t mind telling you I was a bit floored at that.

The fact is, yes, there are a LOT of homeless pets. I don’t want this to be a blog that throws a bunch of meaningless numbers and statistics at you. Frankly, when I read a bunch of numbers myself, my brain starts to hurt. But here’s one for you that hopefully everyone can understand. In Virginia alone last year, 2007, it is estimated that 150,000 dogs and cats were killed in shelters, boiling down to one animal killed every 4 minutes. To put it in perspective, pop in a Beatles cd and listen to “Hey Jude.” By the time that song is over, another animal will have died. And no, these aren’t just the really old, the vicious, or the hopelessly sick/injured. These are the young, healthy, vibrant, loving animals whose only crime committed was they were born unwanted.

If tugging at your heartstrings isn’t doing it for you, here’s some more concrete info that you may not be aware of. Spaying and neutering your pets will greatly reduce many health risks, including the elimination of several cancers, namely testicular cancer in males and ovarian cancer in females. Hey, you can’t get cancer in a body part you don’t have!

Getting your pets fixed will also eliminate all those “Oops!” pregnancies that animal rescuers just LOVE to hear about. Not only does that contribute to the overpopulation problem and cause more dogs and cats to be killed (see above), but now you have more money out of pocket to pay for vet visits and proper care of the puppies until they are old enough to be adopted out. And if it’s a complicated pregnancy, well that’s even more money paid to the vet, isn’t it? You may be able to get some money for adoption fees (and it is highly recommended you ask for a reasonable adoption fee rather than simply say “Free to Good Home.” That topic will be addressed in a later post). However, given the surplus supply of dogs and cats needing homes, your ability to place your puppies or kittens into homes is not guaranteed.

Of course, there are always going to be men that shudder at the thought of neutering a dog. “You can’t neuter a dog! You can’t take away his manhood!” Frankly, if you are judging your manhood by what your dog is packing, perhaps it’s time you take a long look at yourself! No one judges a man by his dog’s goods. I don’t see a cute guy walking a dog down the street and then notice the dog is neutered and think, “Ah, what a pity. His dog is neutered so he must be too!” On the contrary, I think, “Wow, a responsible dog owner! I’d really like to talk to him!”

So in closing, short of health concerns barring the procedure, there really is no reason not to spay and neuter your pets. Many areas in the country now offer low cost/no cost spay/neuter clinics, so now it’s more affordable than ever! Trust me, the animal rescue population will thank you for it. Just remember, who says neutered dogs have no balls?

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